none yet
by Kenderlyn
Summary: Just read the authors notes, eventual SeiferZell (not in this chapter)
1. Author's Notes

Untitled fic #33 

Let's make this clear from the start. _I am not a fan of Squinoa._ Got that?

  


Now. Having said that, this story is based around a 'what if' to do with the 'orphanage gang'. And yes, it does contain reference to Squinoa. I do hope I haven't turned anyone off yet. I'm trying to see if it works out. there are two parts to the story, the first is a very short piece that deals with a short event in Time Compression. The other deals with what would happen if the events of the first story never happened. The sequel now has a teaser, since I want to see how the story works.

  
onto the story  
the 'what if' sequel/teaser  



	2. the truth

I stumbled through Time Compression blindly, wondering if I could ever make my way back to my own time. My wounds were healing faster due to the acceleration of time, but I was still lost. As I continued to make my way through, I saw a door, in the middle of my line of sight. I hesitated, then walked to it. It opened onto what appeared to be a nursery. There was a baby in a carry basket, and sitting beside the basket was... me. I walked further into the room, and stared.  
"I'm in the wrong time."  
"Obviously. But that's okay, you have to be here."  
"Why?"  
"You need to take him to Matron. But make sure it's a time when you're not there."  
"What? Who is he?"  
"He's Squall and Rinoa's baby. But he doesn't belong here."  
"But-"  
"But nothing. When you make it back, Matron will ask you about this, you need to do it." I bowed my head slightly. From the sounds of things, I had no choice, and possibly, I'd already done it.  
"Why?" I repeated.  
"Because if he's not there, the course of our history will change. It may not have been the happiest life for all of us, but who knows how much worse it could be if you don't take him away." I watched my future self, and finally nodded. I moved forward, and lifted the basket containing the son of the 'Lion of Balamb', and walked away. I don't know if it was just my imagination, but the basket was very heavy as I disappeared back into the mists of time.

Edea Kramer stood as she heard the knock at the door. She opened it cautiously and stared at the strange man standing at her door. He was carrying a basket with a baby in it. She frowned as he silently put the basket in her hands.  
"Why are you giving him to me?" the man didn't answer, but turned away. "Who are you, are you his father? Why? What's his name?" The man turned, and spoke so softly, that she could barely make out the words.  
"I was told to leave him here, I don't-" as the man spoke, Edea lifted the baby from his basket, and let the carrier fall to the ground. As it did, it tipped, and something fell out. The man's eyes widened. "Hyperion," he breathed in awe. Then his eyes focused on the baby thoughtfully. "His name is Seifer. Seifer Almasy." The man announced. He then turned, and started walking away."  
"Who are you? What do I tell him when he wants to know about his family?" The man shook his head sadly. He continued walking.  
"It doesn't matter. You'll understand one day." With those cryptic words, the man faded into the darkness, but not before Edea got one last glimpse of his face. She was surprised. He was not as old as she had believed, blonde, and sad looking. The last thing she noticed as he faded away altogether, was a bizarre tattoo creeping up the side of his face. She was distracted by the baby suddenly crying out.  
"Come on Seifer, let's get you inside," she murmured. She walked inside, puzzling over a man she would not see for many years to come.

  
back to Intro/Author's notes  
What If...? - the sequel/Teaser  



	3. SequelTeaser

What if...?   
  
Chapter 1   
  


Zell was... perplexed. That was really the only word for it. He was perplexed. He was never sure why the idea of Squall and Rinoa bothered him so much, but it did. He stood in his room in Balamb, and wondered about the fact that he was perplexed. They were really happy together, but he wasn't sure that it was right. Squall was her Knight, and had saved her from many dangers in the past year or so. That he understood. Rinoa had saved Squall from Time Compression. That he understood. But he didn't understand why they were feeling anything more than residual gratitude for their mutual rescues. 

When they had first met, they had not liked each other at all. He wasn't sure what had caused Squall to abandon Forest Fox, and help Rinoa with the Forest Owls, but he had. just a chance encounter, but it had shaped everything. now Squall and Rinoa were happily married, and Rinoa was getting clucky over her first-born child. She had spent monthsgoing over the books all about 'What to name the baby', and 'the meaning of names', and finally, she decided on a name for her child. If it was a girl - but she didn't think it would be, Sorceress knowledge maybe - she would be named Julia Raine, a beautiful name, but one with so much history, that Zell sincerely hoped that Rinoa was right about the baby being a boy. the boy's name was deceptively simple. there was no history behind it. No long-dead relative being appeased. The name was so simple. she had wanted a name that sounded strong, but wise. She decided to name her son Seifer.

  
Back to Intro/Author's notes  
back to Truth  



	4. chapter 1

What if...? 

Okay, this is the real first chapter of the Sequel. It starts with the Seed Exam, and skips through the 'highlights' of the rest of the day. As can be expected, life at Balamb Garden is very different without Seifer, and in the little ways as well as the big. This timeline has, for starters, a _very_ different Zell. RAFO...  
OC names are chosen primarily for meaning.   
  
Oh! And gratuitious use of Nida. I really really really think he was severely underused in the game. I really liked him.

  
  
~oOo~   
  
Squall Leonhart sat on his bed. He stared at the uniform beside him, and then stood and changed into it. **I can't get much more prepared for this than I already am. I've done all the prerequisites, and I passed the written exam - barely. I can't do any more to prepare. ** He left his dorm, and went to the directory.   
  
"Squall, over here!" Instructor Trepe called her student to her, he walked over to her, and waited silently. "You'll be the squad leader for this exam Squall. The rest of Squad B will consist of Selphie Tilmitt and Nida Nakajima." Squall nodded. His two team mates walked over then, and they waited with Quistis as the Headmaster stood at the front of the entry hall.   
  
***   
  
**What are they up to?** Squall stood back, watching the Galbadian Soldiers passing through the courtyard. They were acting very suspiciously, but Squall shook his head.  
"Squad Leader, shouldn't we go after them?" Nida asked. Squall shook his head again.  
"No, we'll only get into trouble for leaving our post. We'll stay here until the withdraw order." Nida and Selphie exchanged glances, then looked up at the tower in the distance. Then they set to waiting for their orders.   
  
***   
  
"Damn! That was the last car, wasn't it?" Nida frowned. Squall raised his eyebrow a little, but didn't say anything, just nodded. "Ah well, at least we aren't the only ones walking. Isn't that Flann and Marid?" Squall frowned, the two bullies never bothered him, but they had been boasting recently about a boy in Balamb City that made an easy target. He started walking, determined to make Garden before sunset. Nida and Selphie scrambled to keep up with him   
  
Zell Dincht looked up from the circuit board he was working on, as the cars from Garden passed through Balamb. He smiled a little sadly, and turned his head away to see a pair of Garden students bearing down on him. He sighed, and gathered himself to flee. As best he could. He grabbed at his walking stick swiftly, but the two bullies beat him to it. He frowned. They held the cane too high for him to reach. And with his damaged leg, he couldn't jump to reach it. As they taunted him, he saw three figures coming over, also in Garden's uniform. **Oh great. They're either here to help them, or they're going to be too afraid to stand up to them.** He blinked as the dark haired boy in the lead calmly took his cane from the pair, and handed it to him, without stopping. As he passed, he noted.  
"I believe that harassing the citizens of Balamb leads to an immediate demotion for any SeeD, and an immediate fail for a student on his or her SeeD exam. I have witnesses." He didn't even pause. The girl with him, frowned slightly, but stopped and looked at Zell curiously.  
"Are you all right?" The look on her face said that she thought that the other student should have asked that.  
"I'm alright," Zell noted, he looked up seeing the two bullies racing after his rescuer, "They never hurt me physically, since that demotion rule exists, they just do what you saw." She nodded.  
"Those two are always like that, Right Nida?" the other boy nodded slightly.  
"You're lucky, at least you have that rule to protect you. In Garden we don't have that kind of protection from them." Zell frowned.  
"Lucky huh? I wanted to get into Garden, but they didn't want someone who can't fight."  
"Why? Why do you need the cane?" the girl asked, then slapped her hands over her mouth. "Omega! That was so rude! I'm so sorry." Zell just smiled.  
"I'm lame, it's irreparable. Ma had it checked out when she adopted me, to see if I could be healed." Nida tiled his head.  
"How did it happen? If you don't mind me asking, that is." Zell laughed.  
"I'm not that fragile, you know! It was an accident when I was a kid. I went to the beach, on my own, and got attacked by a fastiticalon, I'm lucky to be alive really, if Matron had been any slower getting to me..." she nodded, understanding. She looked over at the dark haired boy waiting for her and her friend, and sighed.  
"We'd better get back to Garden, since we're on our exam at the moment. If we're too late getting to Garden, it might reflect bad on our Instructor. But anyway, what's your name?"  
"Zell, Zell Dincht." She grinned.  
"Nice to meet you Zell, maybe we can catch up some time! This is Nida Nakajima, and I'm Selphie Timitt, and the antisocial guy that rescued you is Squall Leonhart." With that, Selphie rose, grinned at Zell, and grabbed Nida's arm, and dragged him off after Squall. If sh had looked back at that moment, she would have seen Zell staring after her dumbfounded. **Selphie? Squall? Fuck. I just found about half my old family, but she didn't even twitch when I said my name was Zell, hell she didn't twitch when I mentioned adoption and Matron either! What is going on? Why didn't she remember. Does Squall remember? And where are Quisty and Irvy?** Zell rose to his feet painfully, gripping his almost forgotten cane.   
  
***   
  
Selphie entered Garden with no small relief. She watched as Squall informed Instructor Trepe about Flann and Marid's behaviour in Balamb. She smiled a little, and agreed to tell the Headmaster about it. Selphie grinned as Nida settled on a nearby bench, and stretched his arms up.  
"That was so dull. I could have done with a bit more action!" Nida glanced at her, and grinned.  
"But if there had been more action, you would have complained that they were making the exam too hard. Selphie laughed cheerfully, as the announcement came for all SeeD candidates to go to the second floor.   
If anyone wants to know the 'original' version of the fastiticalon incident (ie - when Seifer was at the orphanage) go to my Livejournal,   
  
Back to index  
back to teaser  
on to chapter 2   



End file.
